Title: Doctors
Director: Sahir Raza
Cast: Sharad Kelkar, Harleen Sethi, Aamir Ali, Viraf Patell, Vivaan Shah
Where: Streaming on Jio Cinema
Rating: 3.5 Stars
This series peels back the surgical mask to reveal the messy, beating heart beneath the clinical white coats. This 10-episode medical drama strides into the ER on day one, eschewing orientation for adrenaline as its rookie residents- are thrust into chaos. The stage is set at the Elizabeth Blackwell Medical Centre, a prestigious hospital that’s as much a battlefield of egos, ethics, and emotions as it is a beacon of healing.
At its core is Dr. Nitiya Vasu (Harleen Sethi), a woman on a mission not of medicine but of vengeance. Blaming her mentor, the revered neurosurgeon Dr. Ishaan Ahuja (Sharad Kelkar), for her brother’s derailed medical career, Nitiya’s vendetta promises fireworks. Yet, as she locks horns with Ishaan amidst the relentless pace of the hospital, her convictions waver, and the carefully stitched-up boundaries between hatred and understanding begin to fray. The expected revenge arc morphs into an emotionally nuanced narrative that stitches together themes of ambition, love, and redemption.
The series deftly toggles between the cacophony of emergency wards and the quieter corridors of personal lives. Through its characters, it poses timeless questions about the cost of choices. Lines like, “It’s not the crisis that defines you but your choices,” aren’t just dialogue—they’re the series’ ethos. The exploration of Euthanasia, Huntington’s disease, and the relentless grip of cancer injects a dose of hard-hitting reality, proving that the stakes aren’t confined to the operating room.
Visually, “Doctors” boasts state-of-the-art special effects as polished as the surgical instruments it depicts. Every frame gleams with precision, immersing viewers in a hyper-realistic medical world. But for all its technological wizardry, the show never loses sight of its humanity. The doctors aren’t deified saviours but flawed mortals fighting their own battles.
Harleen Sethi and Sharad Kelkar anchor the narrative with performances that feel lived-in. Sethi captures Nitiya’s simmering intensity and gradual unravelling, while Kelkar lends Ishaan a layered gravitas that transcends the archetype of the infallible mentor. Yet, it is the supporting cast that often steals the show. Faezeh Jalali as the quirky and fiercely competent Dr. Sabeeha Bannerwala, Viraf Patel as the enigmatic Dr. Abhijat Gupta, and Max Fernandes as the pragmatic Dean, Dr. Nakul Puri, leave indelible marks. Teena Singh’s portrayal of Ishaan’s fiancée, Dr. Lekha Singh, introduces unexpected twists that enrich the narrative.
Among the junior doctors, Niharka Lyra Dutt as Dr. Keyuri, Abhishek Khan as Dr. Ridhun, Vvansh S. Sethi as Dr. Neil, Vivaan Shah as Dr. Roy, and Sarah Hashmi as Dr. Nahida stand out, their arcs are deftly woven into the tapestry of hospital life. They deliver performances that ensure the residents’ camaraderie and conflicts feel authentic and engaging.
While the series occasionally veers into melodrama and overly dramatic moments, these are minor incisions in an otherwise well-executed narrative. The final episode- with its cliffhanger, ensures viewers are left with their minds racing with possibilities for the next season.
Overall, the series reminds us that even in the sterile halls of a hospital, the human spirit—messy, flawed, and beautiful—reigns supreme.
